Jiangnan, or “South of the Yangtze River”, has long been a prosperous region when the North was engaged in numerous wars between different ethnic groups and the Han people. So the region developed economically and socially, with wealth that exceeds the coffers of the state, and cultural and intellectual richness that define the Chinese for generations.
The Jiangnan people weren’t considered part of the Middle Kingdom until around 500 BC, when Wu and Yue were ceded to the State of Chu. Geographically shielded by the Yangtze and the numerous waterways in the region, it was not really attractive for the Northern rulers to meddle with the affairs of the region. With the wealth accumulating over generations and rulers far away, they developed a panache for living and all things beautiful.
There are many water towns like this one, the ancient township of Tongli 同里 around 45 mins from downtown Suzhou, where one is instantly transported back in time. It was a weekend when I went there with Princess, and even if it wasn’t the peak periods, the tourists were absent.
The demographics of the tourist crowd has changed significantly and many seeks not the tranquility and laid back nature of these water towns. Instead the shift is for those younger set that look for that perfect photoshoot, dressed in period costumes. So many would not travel that extra hour and pay that extra RMB 160 entrance fee to the town, and preferred to stay in Suzhou instead.
Instead, we were spared with that overcrowded tourist attraction and experience Tongli as it would have been and should have been. We took our time around the town, walking through extravagant houses and gardens that were left behind by the millionaires of that time.
No expense was spared in the decorations of these houses. From the elaborate carvings on the pillars and panels, to the rosewood Song and Ming period furnitures, to the rock formations in the gardens, everything was for the pleasure of the owner and his family.
And from these excesses came the pursuit of happiness on the palate. Jiangzhe cuisine – a generic term for Huaiyang (one of the Top 4 Chinese culinary style), Suzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and later Shanghainese cuisines – becomes the cuisine of choice for State banquets like the menu featured in Trump’s recent visit to Beijing.
One third of the “Three Treasures of West Lake” 太湖三白, whitebait 银鱼 has been used for many dishes in Suzhou, but the best variations in my humble opinion are either stir-fried with a runny egg omelette or deep fried as an appetiser. Here we have the whitebait omelette using free-range chicken eggs from nearby farmers. I have not tasted such eggy omelette for a long time, you know, egg with a REAL taste of egg, but the overall taste was a bit bland. 胀蛋 or “bloated eggs” is a Huaiyang cooking technique for making omelette using a lot of hot oil to “bloat” the beaten egg liquid in a flash. The chef has managed the doneness very well, the egg was not burnt in anyway given the supper heated oil.
What the Northerners call dumplings, the Jiangnan folks call wontons 馄饨. These are not like the Cantonese or Hong Kong wantons in terms of size, they are bulky like their northern cousins. However they use a wonton skin that is unlike their northern cousins, they are thinner and lighter and similar to their Cantonese brothers. Shepherd’s purse 荠菜 is a herby vegetable found in abundance in these parts and is a favourite ingredient for dumpling fillings. It is seasonal ingredients and fresh produce like these that makes these excursions really enjoyable.
Water bamboo shoots 茭白 are the swollen, crisp stems of a wetland grass native to the lakes around the region. During the main harvest in April and May, they are sweet and crunchy, and are delicious when cooked in a variety of ways. Princess fell in love with this and other bamboo shoots, although water bamboo is not really a bamboo; more accurately, it is the stem of the Manchurian wild rice that swelled because of a benign infection by a fungus. This fungus prevents the plant from flowering and causes the stem to swell, resulting in a crisp, white, and juicy interior.
Talking about infection from a fungus, there’s another food that is notorious among my Western friends – the stinky tofu 臭豆腐. Think of it as Chinese blue cheese, the main ingredient is soy bean milk instead of dairy. Princess has also acquired a liking to this tofu that has gone off in a good way. But this was the first time she tried the steamed version. She gave up, saying it really smelled like sewage.
Of course with modern refrigeration, fermentation and use of benign bacteria and fungus to preserve food are no longer necessary. Off season ingredients like the crab roe from the Chinese mitten crabs from these waters are also readily available to be incorporated into regional delights like this crab roe tofu stew 蟹粉豆腐.
Don’t expect Michelin grade food when dining in one of these local eateries. They can do these dishes competently and a good choice when visiting one of these water towns. Just pick one that you fancy, sit down and order a few dishes, and watch the world go by.
Sanxietang Homecooked Food 三谢堂私家菜馆
同里古镇富观街53号
Trip made in Apr 2026 in Suzhou and Tongli
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